7 p.m. update: Missing Chico man feared victim of 'foul play'

OROVILLE — Neal Forrest King, 24, of Chico, has been missing for more than two weeks and the Butte County Sheriff's Office suspects "foul play" was involved.

King's girlfriend told authorities he left March 26 for a "business meeting" at a house in the 4000 block of Hildale Avenue in Oroville.

To the knowledge of the BCSO the meeting was "centered around a transaction involving marijuana," Butte County Undersheriff Kory Honea told the Enterprise-Record today.

Detectives have been working hard on this case, Honea said, and served multiple search warrants in Butte County. Based on the information gathered, it is thought that his disappearance involved foul play.

"We know he did end up at the location and that he has not been seen or heard from since," he said. "At this point we're really concerned about his well-being."

According to the BCSO, King is thought to have been last seen alive in the Berry Creek area, about 20 miles east of Oroville.

Detectives are still working on the case and information as to how that information was obtained is not available.

King's girlfriend reported him missing to the Chico Police Department at 4:31 p.m. March 29 after he didn't call or check in with her, according to police records. King's girlfriend reportedly said that they usually keep in touch every day.

She also reported seeing his car outside the residence where the meeting took place, but King was reportedly not there, according to police records.

His vehicle was later towed.

There was no cellphone or credit card activity in the days before his girlfriend reported him missing.

Although the Oroville Police Department was also alerted of the case, the BCSO took over based on the location where King was last seen and other information that was discovered.

King 's family has recently teamed up with the Cort Jones Project, a nonprofit that was created after Redding resident Cort Jones went missing August 2012 and helps locate missing people in California.

King was last seen wearing blue jeans, a light green, thermal long-sleeved shirt and brown hiking boots. He is 5-foot-11, 120 pounds, with green eyes and very short red hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detective Jay Freeman at 538-7671.